


Love Has a Future

by Anasilan



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Children, Denerim (Dragon Age), F/M, Family, Fluff, Headcanon, Love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Trespasser, Pregnancy, Self-Indulgent, Slice of Life, Smut, Soulmates, The Blight (Dragon Age), Waiting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:16:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21855112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anasilan/pseuds/Anasilan
Summary: Elissa Cousland had searched for years to the cure for the grey wardens. This is about her life after it has been found. It is purely self-indulgent headcanon, styling the main protagonists as soulmates. Which has been done to death, but I don't care :)
Relationships: Alistair/Female Cousland (Dragon Age), Zevran Arainai/Female Tabris
Kudos: 13





	1. Return to the start

The liquid in the glass bottle gleamed like a jewel in the late afternoon sun, its green colour reflecting back over her face.  
  
“Are you going to drink it, or just marvel at its colour, _Tesoro_?” Zevran’s honey warm voice broke into her thoughts.

“I…” She stopped and looked at the bottle again. “I’m going to drink it.” She worked the cap free, looking at her companions and the alchemist in front of her, nerves jangling.

“Don’t worry, my warden. If this man poisons you, I will kill him before you hit the ground.” Zevran turned to glare at the small man, smiling darkly when the alchemist paled even further and shuffled backwards.

“Don’t monster the poor man, Zev. He helped us.” She frowned at him and brought the potion up to her nose to sniff at it.

“You hope.” Zevran didn’t want to get his hopes up too high, they’d been searching for this years. Elissa’s other companions shuffled around a bit, all had eyes on the liquid, as it may hold their futures.

“Well, here goes nothing!” In moments, the potion was gone and seconds later the vial had fallen to the floor as Elissa staggered towards the alchemist, eyes unseeing.

“Zevran!” She muttered as she crashed to the floor, unconscious.

“You better hope she wakes up.” Zevran glared at the nervous man even as he crashed to his knees and cradled her head in his lap, smoothing her hair back from over her eyes. “And now, we wait.”

***

Elissa opened one eye and looked around the darkened room. Stretching her arms over her head she did a quick body check, then both eyes popped open in astonishment.

It was gone. She couldn’t hear the song in her head. No distant voices talking. There was no sense of uneasiness or the impending doom she had lived with since she was 19. Squealing she jumped out of bed and began to dance madly in the middle of the room, giggling like a youngling.

The door crashed open, and Zev was there, smiling widely at her antics.

“Well?” He asked an eyebrow raised as he leaned nonchalantly against the door frame.

Racing over to him, she grabbed his hands and pulled him into her happy dance.

“It’s gone! No calling! No darkspawn voices!” She cheered, wheeling her friend around in a slightly frantic, and entirely joyous waltz. Casting dignity aside, Zevran joined in her whooping and hollering, madly flinging her about as they celebrated.

Finally, exhausted, they fell in a sweaty heap on the bed, big grins wreathing their faces.

“Tell the others to take it if they wish. And triple the amount of gold we gave the alchemist. It is worth it.” Elissa clambered to her feet and threw a money pouch at Zevran, who caught it nimbly. “Tell him to get ready to go to Soldier’s Peak. He can study with Avernis.”

Zevran grinned at her and got to his feet. “And then?” His face took on a lustful, but distant look.

“And then, my friend, we return with all haste to Denerim. I have a husband I haven’t seen in far too long and you a wife and son. It’s time to return!” They grinned at each other again, before Zevran rushed from the room and Elissa began stuffing clothes and nick-nacks into her saddle packs.

****

The study was stuffy. The hallways were stuffy. EVERYWHERE was stuffy. Alistair groaned and continued past the Landsmeet room towards the great hall. His skin itched in anticipation but he had no idea why. It was bloody frustrating!

The herald announced his entrance to the hall and Alistair gave those who stood a vague smile before taking his seat, his eyes glancing to his left and the empty chair there again. He missed her. He missed her smile, her laughter, her smell, her touch. He just missed her. Half of his soul had been gone for four years and he still had no idea when or even if it would return.

He leaned back in his chair, and half-listened to Eamon talk about the crop rate estimates for the current harvest and sipped at his ale. He hadn’t heard from her in a long time, he’d even checked with Cyrion Tabris in the alienage as to whether he and Calista had heard from Zevran, in the hopes that they knew something. But no. No news.

He picked at his food and let the conversation drift over his head. He was not as interested in the price of wool, or what the Inquisition was up to. Well, usually he was, but today he was just down. Tomorrow was his wedding anniversary and he knew his Elissa would not be there to celebrate it with him.

Caught in his melancholic thoughts he didn’t hear the booted feet running down the corridor towards the hall, nor the frantic calls for “Your Majesty!” until the big doors crashed open and a young squire slid into the room.

“Your Majesty! King Alistair!” Surprised, Alistair raised his head and looked at the boy.

“What? Has Orlais invaded?” He tried to make a joke, but even to his own ears, it fell flat.

“No, Your Majesty!” The boy gulped down some air and grinned at his monarch. “It’s the Queen! She’s riding up to the castle now!” Alistair gaped at the boy for a moment, then was up and jumping over the table in moments, running straight towards the castle entrance. Wisely the servants and nobles stayed out of his way, all accept Fergus Cousland who quickly join in the mad rush to see the Queen, his sister.

With breakneck speed, they both ran down the front stairs just as the castle gates began to open and a lone figure in shining armour galloped through them.

Alistair felt his heart sing as the horse raced towards him, he came to a halt, impatiently standing on the spot and stared at the racing steed.

Seconds later, the Queen flew from the back of her horse and landed in his arms, her arms around his shoulder as they both fell to the ground, lips meeting in hard and devouring kisses even as lay on the gravel pathway.

“Lis! Lis!” He mumbled as he reached up to hold her face, covering every inch of it with kisses. She made little sounds of happiness as she did the same, hands still wrapped around his neck and holding him close.

“Ali! I missed you so much!” She broke away from his hold to smile up at him. He refused to let her go too far, reaching out to grasp her hand even as they stood and she turned to her brother.

“Ferg! I missed you as well!” Keeping her hand in Alistair’s she reached out and was enveloped in her brother’s hold, slightly shocked when she felt his tears on her neck. When she moved away, she looked at him in shock and he smiled at her, even as those tears kept falling.

“I am so glad you are back, Pup!” He smiled down at her, she returned his smile with a blinding one of her own.

“I am too! I’ve so much to tell you all!” She turned back to Alistair and leaned in to touch her mouth to his again. He soon took over the kiss, pulling her tightly into his arms, against his body as his tongue duelled with hers. It took some monumental effort, but she pushed him away to reach into her waist pocket, as she looked into his now lust-filled eyes.

“I got it Ali… I found it.” She lifted out the potion bottle and pressed it into his shocked hand.

“We can be free!”


	2. For the love of family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zevran returns to the Denerim Alienage, and finds it changed since the last time he was home.

Zevran walked fast through the crowded streets of the Denerim Market District. After so long in the wilds, all the voices were a bit overwhelming, but he relished the smells of the city, even the unpleasant ones. He watched a small group of children run past, calling to each other and pretending to fight with stick swords, which made him smile and pick up the pace, desperate to see Kallian and Ithelan.

The sun started to set as he moved across the bridge into the settlement. Things had changed since he’d left. He could see that the water system had been improved and there were flowers and other things growing in the small areas in front and behind the houses and apartments. Many of the properties had been repaired, completely rebuilt, or in the case of the cursed orphanage, completely demolished and a memorial erected in its space instead. The cobblestones where fixed and neat, there were brand new lamp posts regularly along the streets and most importantly, the sounds of elven society; shouting, laughing, playing and arguing. If he wasn’t mistaken, there was an Inn now… he could hear the sounds of singing and laughter as he walked by. He looked through the open door and smiled when he saw Soris and Shianni laughing with other members of their community, and Cyrion standing in the corner smiling at them both.

Moving towards the corner he was suddenly bypassed by a herd of small elves, their giggles and antics making him smile. But he didn’t see his small, golden-haired boy among them. At seven summers, Kallian had written that Ithelan was very much as his name implied. A watcher. He seemed to have inherited his father’s skill for keeping to the shadows and observing those around him. Zevran was inordinately pleased by this news. His boy had inherited skills that he would be able to hone now that he was no longer travelling so far.

He continued walking towards his home, a place that looked much renewed since he last had been there. The brickwork was fixed, the windows had been replaced, and there were rose bushes by the front door. Candlelight shone brightly through the bottom windows and it drew him forward, feeling like his heart was waiting to beat, to move again when reunited with the ones he loved the most. He was so focused on the red-painted front door, that at first, he did not notice the small boy walking beside him, gravely stare up at his intent face. A flicker of movement had him looking down and immediately halting, a huge smile breaking across his face as he recognised the little one next to him.

Crashing down to his knees, he knelt down in front of the small boy. He could see himself. Ithelan was all bony edges, olive skin, and gangly limbs. His amber eyes searched Zevran’s for a moment, almost like he was reassuring himself that it was who he remembered in front of him. Two years was a long time to a little one. Zevran’s hand reached out and cupped his son’s cheeky, running his thumb over his nose and cheek.

“Ithelan… Mi guapo hijo. Oh, I have missed you, so much.” He felt tears well in his eyes, as the calm amber eyes in front of him continued looking at him, searching and comparing the memory of his father with the man in front of him.

“Babae?” Ithelan’s voice, though soft at this moment, even sounded sweet to Zevran’s ears and he longed to take the child into his arms and hold him close to his heart.

“Yes, da’len.” He said, falling back on the terms he had learnt from Kallian.

Before his heartbeat again, the small boy had thrown his arms around his shoulders and buried his face into his father’s neck. Zevran could feel the boy's grin against his skin, and he unashamedly let the tears run down his cheeks. He knew his mission had been important, but he had missed so much of his son growing up. He wound his arms around the boy and pulled him close, breathing the warm scent of him deep into his lungs.

Behind them both, the front door opened, and a soft voice called out into the evening.

“Ithelan? Supper time, da’len!” Then there was a gasp and the sound of bare feet running a short distance across the cobblestones. And then she was there.

Zevran removed one arm from around his son and pulled his wife close to him, tears freely falling down his face as he smelt the lavender and crystal grace of her perfume and the smell that was uniquely Kallian. She placed small kisses all over his face, making small happy sounds as she did so until her turned his head and covered her mouth with his own. He moved the hand at her back to grasp the back of her head and keep her close, putting all the love and longing he had for her into that one moment touch. Ithelan had scooted around and now sat curled up in Zevran’s lap, his ear again Zev’s chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Zevran felt complete. He was home and he had his family back. It could not get any sweeter than this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mi guapo hijo - My handsome son (according to the Google) ;)


End file.
